Slug-Free Lettuce – 3 Weeks Growth

Lettuce in wooden seed trays

One of my new year resolutions was to have Slug-Free Lettuce. For the past two years every time I try to grow lettuce in my plots, slugs from miles around arrive to munch on it. So I have given up with trying to grow it on my plots but definitely not given up on growing lettuce.

Here’s my solution – grow it in seed trays in the mini greenhouse and so far so good.

I decided to buy some wooden seed trays so they would look nice in the mini greenhouse. They do until they come into contact with water and heat and then the bottom slightly buckles a bit, but there are still holding the soil and seedlings so I’m not complaining and most importantly it has been a slug free zone.

Here’s the varieties of Loose Leaf Lettuce I am growing:-

Lettuce – Belize
A green oakleaf type with bright and slightly bubbled leaves. It is resistant to aphids, mildew and bolting.

Lettuce – Oakleaf
A dark green leaf tinged with red to bring a bit of brightness to my salad. Large lobbed leaves and is resistant to bolting.

Lettuce – Salad Bowl
A curly edged bright green leaf, a popular choice.

Other Posts on Topics – Slugs and Lettuce:

• Summer Lettuce (Balmoral) 2008 – 13 weeks then eaten by slugs!
• Summer Lettuce (Tin Tin) 2007.
• Pest Control – Slugs and Snails

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This post has now moved to my new site iGrowVeg.com.
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• Growing Slug-Free Lettuce

Pest Watch – Hordes of Caterpillars

Its official Caterpillars have taken over my cabbage plot.

The Cabbage White butterfly lays the yellow larvae on the underside of cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and any other large strong leaves in June. 14 days later in July, caterpillars emerge ready for breakfast and see some lovely green crunchy leaves on your cabbages.

This is what happens next….

Lots of holes in my cabbage leaves!

I’m sure I’m not the only one having these issues with cabbage white butterflies and caterpillars so this is what I have done to minimize the destruction.

1. Pulled out all the mature cabbages with hordes of caterpillars on them that cannot be saved,
2. Shake the rest of the cabbages and leaves (one by one) that are staying put and check underneath the leaves for fallen caterpillars,
3. Use gloves and squish the caterpillars or if you’re a bit squeamish just pick them up on a trowel and dispose of them,
4. Use the jet on the hose to water straight down in the centre of the cabbage to throw off any more caterpillars missed before,
5. Check the underside of the leaves for yellow eggs (larvae) and remove the leaves or the eggs and dispose of,
6. Finally put netting over the top of all your cabbages making sure that the cabbage leaves are not touching the netting (use canes to support netting) to prevent anymore butterflies from landing on your cabbages.
7. You’re not out of the wars yet, keep checking on the leaves of the plants for caterpillars otherwise they will continue to eat your remaining cabbages under the netting.

So if you think you have a caterpillar pest problem – check your plots for the following:-

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• Pest Watch – Hordes of Caterpillars

Perseverance is the Key

Perseverance = Determination to do something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

I was looking around my fruit and vegetable section of my back garden when the word perseverance popped into my head. Let me explain…

Redcurrant Bush

I bought the above redcurrant bush from Wilkinson’s end of season sale in March 2007 for £2.99. The first summer a few leaves appeared but no currants and it soon turned back into a few twigs again for the winter. I was disappointed to say the least. Looking back though I shouldn’t have expected much for the price. It did cross my mind to get rid of it however I decided to put it in a corner of the garden and forget about it.

When I bought it I repotted it but since 2007 it hasn’t had any more compost, only rainwater and has been mulched by moss. Somehow this year it has produced currants for the first time as well as lots of leaves. I am ecstatic. I shall be watching every moment waiting for them to turn red now, thats if the local bird life don’t get them first!

Broad Beans – The Sutton

My lovely broad beans were sown in November 2007 directly into the plot. I knew I was taking a bit of a gamble and had read a lot of message boards that said frost may kill them off over-winter. I always like to give things ago especially as the plot was looking a bit bare I wanted something to retain my attention through winter and spring.

I have loved growing broad beans for their tall stature (and The Sutton is a dwarf variety), sweet scented and unusual flowers, watching the bees pollinate them and then the growth of the beans with furry pods.

After 29 weeks (approx 7 months) of perseverance, here are my broad beans:

Lettuce – Balmoral

Lettuce has always been a struggle against the slugs for me. A year ago I would not be hand picking slugs off my plots (I was still a bit squeamish then) in the early morning before work, but now I am, just to get some god damn lettuce! It certainly works and gives the lettuce all day in the sunshine/shade to grow some more strength for the nights attack of slugs.
Here are my slow growing ball head lettuces (slowly growing out those slug holes):-

Parsnip – Countess F1

I had heard that the germination of parsnip seed was problematic. However when did that ever stop me from trying something? I’m quite proud that the first time I attempt to grow parsnips (straight into the plot), that they are growing great guns. I have two rows 7 weeks apart on growth. First row sown on 9th Feb, second row on 30th March 2008.

Spinach – Tiraz F1

Of course there’s always a few vegetables that have a mind of there own like Spinach. With every other vegetable a bit of warm weather perks them up no end but with spinach its bolts and runs for the hills! Typical its taken 8 and 13 weeks to grow to a few small leaves and then they start to flower and are useless.

My spinach has bolted, so I will persevere and pull them out and sow some more or buy a non-bolting variety or I might even sow some Perpetual Spinach (the larger leaves) which are cut and come again and keep going all summer without bolting.

Gardening and vegetable growing just wouldn’t be the same without perseverance.

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• Perseverance is the Key

Broad Beans, Slugs and Plot Update Week 14

Today I was mostly picking baby slugs off Plot 1. It is official that vermiculite and copper tape definitely do not work as slug repellents.

Upon closer inspection on Plot 1, the baby slug family have obliterated my carrots, put holes in my spinach and munched through some lettuce seedlings. As I’ve just read a startling fact that 95% of slugs are underground, its time to get tough and order the nematodes.

Nematodes are a type of parasite that feed on the slugs underground. It is sent in a packet of powder which is mixed with water and using a watering can applied to the plot or soil. Each packet lasts 6 weeks and re-application is necessary. Each standard pack is approx £9.49 and treats up to 40 square metres. There is a large pack for bigger areas. Click here for more info about nematodes.

The Slug Hunting Season has officially started

After the heavy downpours of rain this week, I should have guessed that the slugs would be out in force.

I can officially declare that the slug hunting season is now open and they are heading to a vegetable plot near you (please not my lettuces again this year) so this is the time to get out your slug and snail reinforcements a bit quicker than I did.

Whilst I was watering my cabbages plot, removing yellowing leaves and any leaves that were touching the ground I had the misfortune to touch a slimy creature, yes thats right the dreaded slug! This was a small baby slug which has got into my plot before I managed to slug proof it with copper tape. Perhaps it was just reminding me to be a bit quicker off the mark for next year!

Needless to say it met its bitter end under foot. Well I have to be ruthless if I’m going to get any lettuce this year.

Click here for some organic solutions to Slugs.

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• The Slug Hunting Season has officially started

New Year Plot Report 12.01.2008

Today I will mostly be thinning cabbages and pulling out my mini leeks which have sucumb to greenfly.

Cabbage Plot 2

Before Thinning (Wk 38 28.12.07)

After Thinning (Wk 40 12.01.08)

My cabbages showed signs of whitefly which is a good time to create some space in the plot by thinning so that the pests don’t infect all plants. I thinned and destroyed the ones that had whitefly. Thinning also encourages growth as we will see in a few weeks time.